Solid-State Hydrogen Storage Device

ABSTRACT

A solid-state hydrogen storage device includes a steel cylinder accommodating a ceramic sintered body that has fine open spaces therein for storing hydrogen, a housing, which houses the steel cylinder, and a fire-retarding stuffing material stuffed in the housing around the steel cylinder for protection.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present invention is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No.12/068,004, entitled SOLID-STATE HYDROGRAN SUPPLY SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to hydrogen storage arrangement and moreparticularly, to a solid-state hydrogen storage device, which uses asintered ceramic body in a steel cylinder for storing hydrogen in astable status, lowering hydrogen storage cost and assuring high safety.

2. Description of the Related Art

There are known techniques to have hydrogen be stored in a pressurecontainer in a compressed manner. A pressure container of this designrequires much installation space. Its storage and delivery arecomplicated. Further, because hydrogen has a low burning point and ishighly inflammable, the storage of hydrogen must consider the factor ofsafeness. US2006/0144238 A1 discloses a hydrogen storage device that hasa hydrogen-storing alloy set in a beehive structure for storinghydrogen. This design still has drawbacks as follows:

1. The hydrogen storage capacity of the hydrogen-storing alloy islimited, and in consequent, the hydrogen storage cost is high.

2. During hydrogen suction and releasing actions of the hydrogen-storingalloy, micro powder particles are produced and accumulated in the bottomside inside the container. When a certain amount of micro powderparticles are accumulated in the bottom side inside the container, thecontainer tends to deform or damage due to uneven distribution ofpressure, affecting safeness.

3. During fabrication, it requires much time and labor to have thehydrogen-storing alloy be installed in the beehive structure.

SUMMARY OP THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances inview. It is therefore the main object of the present invention toprovide a solid-state hydrogen storage device, which has high storagecapacity to reduce hydrogen storage cost It is another n object of thepresent invention to provide a solid-state hydrogen storage device,which assures hydrogen storage stability and safety.

To achieve these and other objects of the present invention, thesolid-state hydrogen storage device comprises a steel cylinder, asintered ceramic body accommodated in the steel cylinder and having finopen spaces therein for storing hydrogen in a stable status, a housing,which houses the steel cylinder, and a fire-retarding stuffing materialstuffed in die housing around the steel cylinder for protection.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a plain view of a solid-state hydrogen storage device inaccordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an end view of the solid-state hydrogen storage device inaccordance with the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view in an enlarged scale of the solid-statehydrogen storage device in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an elevational assembly view of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional side view of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 illustrates the steel cylinder embedded in stuffing materialinside a metal housing according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 1-5, a solid-state hydrogen storage device inaccordance with the present invention is shown comprising a steelcylinder 1.

The steel cylinder 1 comprises a cylinder body 11, which accommodates acylindrical ceramic sintered body 2. The cylindrical ceramic sinteredbody 2 has fine open spaces 20 therein (see FIGS. 3 and 5). The steelcylinder 1 further comprises a first end cover 12 and a second end cover13 respectively covered on the two opposite ends of the cylinder body 11and fixedly secured thereto by welding, a gas inlet pipe 511 extendedfrom the first end cover 12 for connection to a hydrogen supply source(not shown), a first control switch 51 installed in the gas inlet pipe511 for controlling the supply of hydrogen from the hydrogen supplysource into the cylindrical ceramic sintered body 2 in the cylinder body11 of the steel cylinder 1, a gas outlet pipe 521 extended from thesecond end cover 13, a second control switch 52 installed in the gasoutlet pipe 521 for controlling output of hydrogen out of the cylinderbody 11 of the steel cylinder 1 through the gas outlet pipe 521, and apressure gage 512 installed in the first control switch 51 for measuringthe inside pressure of the cylinder body 11.

By means of the aforesaid arrangement, hydrogen is stored in the fineand irregularly distributed open spaces 20 in the ceramic sintered body2 inside the steel cylinder 1 steadily. This storage arrangement ishighly safe, and capable for storing a big amount of hydrogen. When thesteel cylinder 1 is empty, the gas inlet pipe 511 is connected to ahydrogen supply source, and the first control switch 51 is switched onto let hydrogen go from the hydrogen supply source into the cylinderbody 11 for storage. Further, a safety valve (not shown) may beinstalled in the gas inlet pipe 511 to assure hydrogen storage safety ofthe steel cylinder 1.

Further, fine wire gauzes 14 are mounted in the steel cylinder 1 betweenthe first end cap 12 and one end of the ceramic sintered body 2 toprevent escape of ceramic particles. The mesh of the wire gauzes 14 issmaller than the particle size of the ceramic particles.

Further, at least one wire gauze 15 is mounted in the steel cylinder 1between the second end cap 13 and the other end of the ceramic sinteredbody 2 to prevent escape of ceramic particles.

Further, the ceramic sintered body 2 can be a single piece ceramicsintered body that has a dimension approximately equal to the insideholding space of the steel cylinder 1. Alternatively, the ceramicsintered body 2 can be formed of multiple ceramic sintered sub-bodiesthat are arranged together and accommodated in the steel cylinder 1.

Referring to FIG. 6, the solid-state hydrogen storage device furthercomprises a metal housing 42 mat houses the steel cylinder 1, and astuffing material 41 stuffed in the metal housing 42 around the steelcylinder 1. The stuffing material 41 is a heat-insulating fire-retardingmaterial, for example, fire retardant sponge. The metal housing 42 canbe made out of stainless steel, iron, aluminum, aluminum alloy, or anyother suitable metal, comprised of a hollow frame shell 421 and twocover plates 422. The cover plates 422 are respectively covered on andwelded to the top and bottom open sides of the hollow frame shell 421.The hollow frame shell 421 has through holes 4211 for the passing of thegas inlet pipe 511 and the gas outlet pipe 521. The cover plates 422have a respective through hole 4221 through which the control switches51 and 52 respectively extend to the outside of the metal housing 42.Thehollow frame shell 421 further has a hole (not shown) through which thepressure gage 512 extends to the outside of the metal housing 42.

In conclusion, the invention provides a solid-state hydrogen storagedevice that has the following features and advantages:

1. Hydrogen is stored in the fin open spaces 20 of the ceramic sinteredbody 2 inside the steel cylinder 1, assuring high stability and safe Thehigh storage capacity of the ceramic sintered body 2 inside the steelcylinder 1 reduces the storage cost Further, the design of the steelcylinder 12 facilitates input of hydrogen into the fine open spaces 20of the ceramic sintered body 2.

2. The heat-insulating fire-retarding material 41 surrounds the steelcylinder 1 inside the metal housing 42, assuring high safely.

3. The ceramic sintered body 2 can conveniently be loaded in the steelcylinder 1, and therefore the installation of the present invention issimple.

Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described indetail for purposes of illustration, various modifications andenhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except asby the appended claims.

1. A solid-state hydrogen storage device comprising: a steel cylinder,said steel cylinder comprising gas inlet pipe extending from a first endthereof for connection to a hydrogen supply source, a first controlswitch installed in said gas inlet pipe for controlling input ofhydrogen into said steel cylinder, a gas outlet pipe extending from asecond end thereof, and a second control switch installed in said gasoutlet pipe for controlling output of hydrogen out of said steelcylinder through said gas outlet pipe; wherein: the solid-state hydrogenstorage device further comprises: a ceramic sintered body accommodatedin said steel cylinder, said ceramic sintered body having fine openspaces therein for storing hydrogen; a housing, which houses said steelcylinder, and a stuffing material stuffed in said housing around saidsteel cylinder.
 2. The solid-state hydrogen storage device as claimed inclaim 1, wherein said housing is made out of a metal selected from oneof the materials including stainless steel, aluminum, aluminum alloy andiron.
 3. The solid-state hydrogen storage device as claimed in claim 1,wherein said stuffing material is a fire retardant material.
 4. Thesolid-state hydrogen storage device as claimed in claim 1, wherein saidhousing has two through holes through which said gas inlet pipe and saidgas outlet pipe of said steel cylinder extend out of said housing. 5.The solid-state hydrogen storage device as claimed in claim 1, whereinsaid housing has two through holes through which said first controlswitch and said second control switch of said steel cylinder extend outof said housing.